Ngeo170 Commentary.Indd

COMMENTARY To blog or not to blog?

GAVIN SCHMIDT is at the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies Columbia University 2880 Broadway, New York, New York 10025, USA; co-founder of RealClimate.org. e-mail: [email protected]

Scientists know much more about their ﬁ eld than is ever published in peer-reviewed journals. Blogs can be a good medium with which to disseminate this tacit knowledge.

ike it or not, there are certain important from a quick skim of the lively. However, this kind of informal scientific areas, such as climate methodology, a figure or two and the second-stage peer review is vital to change, stem-cell research, principal results. Their experience the need to quickly process the vast genetic modification of food teaches them to pay little attention to amount of information being produced. L or evolution, that attract a the occasional piece of overreach in Scientists from all fields rely on it heavily disproportionate amount of public the last paragraph and to fill in the to make a first cut between the studies attention. This is usually because they are sometimes understated background. that are worth reading in more detail and perceived to have relevance for strongly By contrast, a lay person might focus those that aren’t. held ethical, economic, moral or political much more on the easy-to-understand Scientists writing in blogs can make beliefs. Scientific results in these fields ‘throwaway’ comments, and spend little this context available to anyone who is are therefore parsed extremely closely to time evaluating the usefulness of the interested. A science blog can explain see how they might project on what the technique, or the implications of any that one cold month does not an ice age public feels is a key issue — regardless of missing context. make or elucidate the diff erence between a their true importance. weather forecast and a climate projection. In these high-profile fields, Over time, their archives provide a misstatements and confusions are Blogs provide a rapid, repository of tacit knowledge that common, and scientists can frequently casual, interactive and readers — both lay and scientifi c — can find their work used (and abused) by fi nd invaluable. As in many spheres, the advocates, with the effect of instigating occasionally authoritative credibility and authority of any particular a strong desire among some of the way of commenting on blog must be earned and an audience public for more direct access to the cultivated. Daunting as that may seem, underlying scientific research; a desire current issues, new papers the success of Scienceblogs.com, Cosmic that is not in the least bit satisfied by the or old controversies. Variance or the Panda’s Th umb shows it is occasional newspaper column buried on possible to combine a deep knowledge of a page 17. Blogs are one communication subject with accessibility and popularity. tool that can supply more depth than This is where blogs can help. Much Some may dismiss blogs as being a is found in traditional media. They of the information in any field of science distraction from real scientifi c work, or provide a rapid, casual, interactive is tacit. The latest climate papers do not of egging on the very controversies that and occasionally authoritative way of generally explain why five ensemble we seek to diff use. Th ere is an element commenting on current issues, new members are used in a particular climate of truth to both of these claims. But papers or old controversies. model experiment, or what the ‘wiggles’ the response should not be a return But why read a blog when you can in the curves mean, or why water vapour to the ivory tower. Th at simply leaves go directly to the scientific literature? is treated differently from carbon dioxide the fi eld clear for those who prefer to Unfortunately, access to new findings even though they are both greenhouse confuse rather than enlighten. With the in the traditional way is harder than gases. Scientists generally absorb this importance of science in policy decisions it should be. Many technical papers background knowledge through a kind being more apparent than ever, our ability are behind pay-walls, which make it of osmosis in graduate school. They to do science and enhance its relevance impractical and expensive for unaffiliated continue to pick it up at coffee and over in public life relies on the community’s individuals to read them. More dinner at conferences and workshops as willingness to engage, inspire and inform. importantly, however, even when papers they discuss the latest results. Blogs are one way to do that, and they can are freely available, they often do not These exchanges are often a little excel at providing the context that is so provide the insight expected. rougher and more raw than the genteel oft en missing in other media. Not every A scientist reading a paper can often academic discourse printed in the scientist needs to have one, but maybe appreciate whether it is interesting or journals. They are also more fun and every scientifi c fi eld does.